GK and Current Affairs Updates

India moved to second place as first aquired by South Africa ( 3-0).
ICC Test Championship
- It s an international competition run by the International Cricket Council in the sport of cricket for the 10 teams that play Test cricket.
- South Africa are currently the highest-ranked team in the ICC Test Championship.

Theme: 'Make in India through Global SME partnerships'.Organized by: CII in partnership with Ministry of MSME. 
Objectives of  Global SME Summit 2015 :
1. To connect the Global SMEs with the Indian SMEs for mutual business development and explore the emerging Indian market. 
2. To work towards creating a strong platform for key decision makers, business leaders and multilateral, global funding agencies to address issues common to SMEs and identify cross-border partnership opportunities.

Main Objectives: 
1. To improve financial and operational efficiencies of power distribution companies (DISCOMs).
2. It envisages reducing interest burden, cost of power and AT&C losses. Consequently, DISCOMs would become sustainable to supply adequate and reliable power enabling 24x7 power supply. 
3. The scheme provides that States would take over 75% of debts of Discoms, as on 30th September, 2015 within two years.
- Unique Features
1. It provides flexibility of managing debt taken over outside fiscal deficit limit, 
2.  Provides reduction in cost of power and a series of time bound interventions for improving operational efficiency. 
3. Provides for measures that will reduce the cost of power generation, which would ultimately benefit consumers.
- Benefits
1. To incentivize states for taking over of DISCOM debt outside the fiscal deficit limits; 
2. Incentivizse states to reduce the cost of power through various measures such as coal linkage rationalization, liberal coal swaps, coal price rationalization, correction in coal grade slippage, allocation of coal linkages at notified prices; priority/additional funding through schemes of MoP & MNRE; and, reduction in interest burden. 
- States joined the scheme
1. Andhra Pradesh became the first state to to join in the scheme UDAY.
2. Jharkhand is newly joined state 

Considering the growing significance of RRBs in pursuit of financial inclusion agenda, its priority seector lending guidelines have been revised.
Some of the changes are:
1. Categories of the Priority Sector: Medium Enterprises, Social Infrastructure and Renewable Energy will form part of the Priority Sector, in addition to the existing categories, with a cap of 15 per cent of total outstanding.
2. Priority Sector Lending will be monitored on a quarterly as well as annual basis.
3. Agriculture: 18% per cent of total outstanding should be advanced to activities mentioned under Agriculture.
4. Small and Marginal Farmers: A target of 8 percent of total outstanding has been prescribed for Small and Marginal Farmers within Agriculture.
5. Weaker Sectors: A target of 15 per cent of total outstanding has been prescribed for Weaker Sections.
Categories under Priority Sector lending are:
1. Agriculture
2. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
3. Education
4. Housing
5. Social Infrastructure
6. Renewable Energy
7. Others
Priority Sector 
Priority sector refers to those sectors of the economy which may not get timely and adequate credit in the absence of this special dispensation i.e. priority sector lending. This is imposed by RBI in order to provide a specified portion of the bank’s lending to the few specific sectors mentioned above.
If PSL is not met then:
1. Indian Banks and Foreign banks (with 20 or more branches) will have to send remaining target money to RIDF (Rural infra. Development fund).
2. Foreign banks (with less than 20 branches) will have to send remaining target money to SEDF (small enterprises development fund).

On the occasion of Armed Forces Flag Day, the Governor conveyed greetings to serving soldiers, ex-servicemen and their dependents;, families of martyrs and people of the state.
About Armed Forces Flag Day
- It is celebrated all over India every year on the 7^th of December.
- Objective: to collect funds from people all over the country:
1. To provide rehabilitation facilities to the families of war victims.
2. To undertakewelfare of the serving personnel as well as their families
3. To assist in the resettlement and well-being of the ex-servicemen and their relatives
- This day is also known as the Flag Day in India.
- On this day, the Indian Army arranges for a variety of traditional and cultural programs, plays, festivals, and various pleasureable/entertaining activities to showcase in front of the  to the general public , demonstrating people over their safety.
- The Armed Forces Flag Day Fund was first set up in the year 1949, by the committee of Defense Minister.

Volunteer Day is designated by the United Nations. And has been celebrated since 1985.This  year’s theme was ”The world is changing. Are you? Volunteer!”.On this day volunteers and organizations celebrate their efforts, to share their values, and to promote their work among their communities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), United Nations agencies, government authorities and the private sector.With a target to  mobilise thousands of volunteers every year, UN launched the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme. Online Volunteering service is also available so that volunteers can take action for sustainable human development by supporting the activities of development organizations over the Internet.  

As a part of the celebrations of the 125^th birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Coins,  of denomination "ten” and "one hundred and twenty-five rupee", were issued by the Prime minister.
About Dr. B.R.Ambedkar
- He was born on 14^th April, 1891.
- He is popularly known as Babasaheb Ambedkar, and is regarded as one of the architects of the Indian Constitution. 
- He was a victim of caste discrimination and thus made sincere efforts to eradicate the social evils like untouchablity and caste restrictions.
- He graduated in 1912 from Bombay University with subjects Political Science and Economics, and went ahead to pursue and higher studies from the US.
- He was appointed as the Defence secretary to the King of Baroda. Afterafetr that he went onto become professor of political economy at the Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics,Bombay.
- He was awarded a Doctorate by the University of Columbia.
- He launched a newspaper called "Mooknayaka" (leader of the silent), to inform and educate people over the drawbacks of the prevailing social evils.
- In 1936, he founded the Independent Labor Party.
- He was appointed as the first Law Minister of independent India as well as the chairman of the committee responsible for drafting the constitution.
- He founded the Bharatiya Bauddha Mahasabha Iin 1955. His book "The Buddha and His Dhamma" was published posthumously.

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi has given its approval for introduction of a Bill for establishment of a Regional Centre for Biotechnology in Faridabad.

Objective: To provide a legal status to the Centre so as to function independently as an autonomous body and also an Institution of National Importance for education, training and research in the areas of biotechnology.

What is Biotechnology?

Biotechnology is a broad discipline in which biological processes, organisms, cells or cellular components are exploited to develop new technologies. New tools and products developed by biotechnologists are useful in research, agriculture, industry and clinics.

Biotechnology industry status in India

(A) It’s the third biggest biotech industry in the Asia-Pacific region. (B) It’s No. 1 producer of Hepatitis B vaccine recombinant.(C)  USD 3.7 Billion to be spent on biotechnology from 2012-17.

Agencies in India for promoting or advancing biotechnology 1. Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India 2. Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India 3. Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council 4. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research 5. Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises 6. Confederation of Indian Industry 7. Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry 

The Union Minister of Home Affairs Shri Rajnath Singh co-chaired a delegation level meeting with Lt General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Agreement contains cooperation on the following subjects:1. Combating international terrorism,2. Trans-national organized crime and 3.Trafficking in illicit, drugs, narcotic and psychotropic substances and precursors chemicals.

India-Bahrain Relations (In 21^st Century)  

- Air Service Agreement (April 2000)

- MOU on Cooperation between Ministries of Foreign Affairs (January 2004)

- Agreement on Juridical and judicial Co-operation in Civil and Commercial Matters (January 2004)

- Extradition Treaty (January 2004)

- Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (January 2004)

- Agreement on the Promotion and Protection of Bilateral Investment (January 2004)

- Agreement for Media Co-operation between Prasar Bharati and Bahrain Radio & TV Corporation (March 2007)

- MoU on Labour and manpower Development (June 2009)

- Agreement regarding Exchange of Information with respect to Taxes (May 2012)

- MoU on Cooperation in the field of Information and communication Technology (May 2012)

- MoU on the establishment of a Joint High Commission (February 2014)

- MoU on cooperation between the Foreign Service Institute, Ministry of External Affairs, India and the Diplomatic Institute (February 2014)

- MoU for cooperation in the field of youth and sports (February 2014)

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee paid floral tributes to Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, on the occasion of his birth anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (December 3, 2015).

About Dr. Rajendra Prasad  (A)He was born in Zeradei, Bihar on December 3, 1884.(B)He joined the famed Calcutta Presidency College in 1902. (C)In 1915, he completed his Masters in Law with honors, winning a gold medal. Subsequently, he completed his Doctorate in Law as well.(D) Dr. Prasad was greatly influenced by Gandhiji, especially over his views on caste and untouchability.(E) He was a true freedom fighter for he loved his nation as well as its nationals. This can be seen through various examples: he rushed to help in 1914 Bihar floods, 1934 Bihar earthquake and others.(F) Dr. Prasad called for non-cooperation in Bihar as part of Gandhiji's non-cooperation movement. (G)He gave up his law practice and started a National College near Patna, 1921. (H)He collected funds for the national movement and urged people to wear Khadi and boycot British manufactured goods, services and laws.(i)During salt satyagrah, Dr. Prasad then sold the manufactured salt to raise funds. He was sentenced to six months imprisonment. (J)He presided over the Bombay session of the Indian National Congress in October 1934.(K)He was elected as the president of Indian National Congress (INC) after the resignation of Subash Chandra Bose in 1939.(I)In 1946, he was elected as the president of the constituent assembly.(M)After retirement he spent his life at the Sadaqat Ashram in Patna and died on February 28, 1963.